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Orange Cookies with Cranberries & Chocolate

Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Chill30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 60 - 70

Ingredients

  • 1 c Dried Cranberries
  • ½ c Grand Marnier
  • 5 ½ c Flour
  • 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 ½ tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1 c Unsalted Butter
  • 2 c Sugar
  • 2 c Brown Sugar
  • 2 Oranges
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 ½ oz Dark Chocolate 85%

Orange Sugar

  • 1 Orange
  • 1 c Sugar

Instructions

  • Roughly chop the cranberries and place in a bowl with the Grand Marnier. Set aside.
  • Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Zest the oranges and add to a mixing bowl and cream with the butter and sugars.
  • Juice the oranges and add to the butter/sugar (no more than ¾ cup) and mix with the eggs and vanilla.
  • Slowly add the flour to the mixer about a ¼ at a time until incorporated.
  • Add the cranberries and liquor and continue mixing until combined.
  • If the dough is too wet add a little flour, a tbsp at a time.
  • Finely chop the chocolate and mix into the dough until just combined.
  • Cover the dough and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Zest an orange and add to a bowl with a cup of sugar. Stir to combine.
  • Take about a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, then roll in the orange sugar to coat. Continue to create the sugar-coated dough balls and place on a cookie sheet about 2 in apart.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  • Let cookies cool for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Notes

  • Do not overbake the cookies as the orange sugar may over-cook changing the flavor profile of the cookie.
  • You can use other orange-flavored liqueurs, however, we have found that Grand Marnier gives the flavor and richness we are looking for
  • The longer you soak the cranberries the better, however, they will not soak up all of the Grand Marnier
  • The dough will be dense until you add the cherries and whiskey, it will then look very wet until mixed completely
    • Depending on your oranges and the amount of juice, the dough could still be slightly wet, adding a little additional flour will help bring the dough back together
  • You can use larger chunks of chocolate, but it will start to take over the other flavors and become the main part of the cookie
  • The formed sugar-coated balls can be frozen, when ready to eat they can be baked from frozen, just increase the cooking time to 13-15 minutes.